Printing-press.



R. MIEHLE.

PRINTING PRESS. APPLIOATION FILED DB0. 1s, 1911.

Patented June 16, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

.xr 1l R. MIBHLB. PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.18,1911.

Patented June 16, 1914.

A TTORNEV R. MIEHLE.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLlOATIoN FILED 11301211911.

Patented June 16, 1914.

R. MIEHLE.

PRINTNG PRESS.

APPLIUATION FILED 330.111.1911.

Patented June 16, 1914.

4 SHEETS--SHEET 4.

/NVENTOH @0MM UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

ROBERT MIEHLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB. TO CONTINENTAL & COMMERGIAL TRUST & SAVINGS BANK, TRUSTEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Speciilcation of Letters Tatent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application led December 18, 1911. Serial No. 686,585.

To all 'whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, ROBERT MIEHLE, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Printing-Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to printing presses and in its preferred embodiment it partlcularly relates to those printing presses employing reciprocating press beds and rack frames taking part in the reciprocation 0f the press beds and moving in the same directions with the press beds but at speeds which are reduced. I do not wish to be limited to this type of printing presses, however, in all embodiments of the invention.

My invention has for its general object the provision of an improved construction whereby the weight upon the press bed 1s materially reduced and the size and weight of the bed motion mechanism is materially lessened so as to minimize the momentum to be overcome when the press bed and bed motion parts are to be reversed and to arrange the bed motion mechanism in a compact form so as to reduce the height and width of the press structure.

In accordance with my invention I detach the rack frame from the press bed and provide the rack frame with a slide or guide way that is independent of the press bed and rollers upon which the press bed moves, motion being communicated to the press bed from the rack frame through a multiplying gearwhich causes ythe press bed to travel in directions similar tothe rack frame but at greater speeds. By this arrangement. themomentum to be overcome at reversals is .greatly reduced.

Itis another object of my invention to provide improved speed retarding means and also the provision of means whereby the bed reciprocating mechanism may be thoroughly lubricated.

These features and other features of my invent-ion will be more fully set forth by a description of the preferred embodiment thereof shown by the accompanying drawings in Whichy igure 1 1s a side view "of'al portion of a printing press containing features of my I1ntegral with vention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of aportlon of the press; Fig. 3 is a side view,

rtly 1n section, showing other structural eatures of the press, the press bed being shown in its alternative extreme positions in Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 4 is a plan view showing features of bed reciprocating mechanism; and Fig. 5 is a view similar-to Fig. 4 with the parts in diHerent positions.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.-

The main driving shaft 1 has the main driving pinion 2 fixed thereupon, the shaft 1 also carrying a pinion 3 which is likewise fixed thereupon, the pinion 3 serving to drive the cam shaft 4 through the interme diation of a' spur gear 5 which is fixed upon the shaft 4. The cam shaft 4 makes one revolution to each com lete reciprocation of the press bed 6, and t e impression cylinder 7 makes two revolutions to each complete reciprocation of. the press bed. The impression cylinder is driven by the main shaft 1 through the intermediation of gears 2, 8 and 9. The vgear 8 is fixed upon lthe shaft 10 which is Journaled in the frame 11 in which the main shaft is also journaled. The gear 9 is co-axial with and is fixed with respect to the impression cylinder shaft 12 which is journaled in the frame work 13.

An internal gear 14 is integrally formed with the gear 8 and is in mesh with the gear 15, this gear 15 being fixedly mounted on the outer end of the bed motion shaft 16 which is journaled in the bed motion frame 17. The bed motion frame is pivotally mounted on the frame 13 by means of a A:haft 18. The bed motion frame is oscillated by mechanism that includes the arm 17l inthe frame 17, the stud or cam roller 19 mounted upon the outer end of the arm 171 and a cam 20 fixed upon the cam shaft ,4 and in engagement with the cam roller 19. The bed motion driving gear 21 is xedly mounted on the inner end of the bed motion shaft 16, a face of the gear 21 carrying` a crank pin upon which a crank roller 22 is disposed. The rack frame 23 carries racks 25 and 251 with which the gear 21 is alternately engaged by the oscillation of the bed motion frame 17 whereby vthe rack frame receives its reciprocating movement longitudinalhr of the press bed. The travelof the rack frame is reversed by l251, the cams 291`and 301 the crank roller 22 which is brought into engagement with the rack frame owing to its confinement in the spaces 26, 261 which intervene between the shoes 27 (that are provided upon the ends of the rack frame) and, respectively, the shoes 271, 272 which are provided upon the free ends of the frames or gates 2S, the shoes 271, 272 being arranged to swing in and out of the path of the crank roller The gates 2S are pivotally mounted upon the rack frame. Rollers 29, 30, 31 and 32 are mounted at suitable places upon the gates 28, these rollers rolling upon the cams 291, 301, 311 and 321 respectively to swing the gates 28 in and out at the proper time as the rack frame is reciprocated. The cams 291 and 311 upon which the rollers 29 and 31 roll are short while the cams 301 and 321 upon which the rollers 30 and 32 roll lare comparatively long. Set screws and stops 331 hold the gates 2S while the short cams are inoperative.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the rack frame just at the point of reversal of the press bed at the end of the printing stroke. As the bed motion shaft 16 turns in the counter-clock-wise direction (as per Fig. 3) the crank roller 22. then within the space 26, Starts the bed back on the non-printing stroke and gradually increases tle speed of the rack frame until the crank roller 22 is at its lowest point, the speed of the rack frame equaling that of the periphery of the gear 21. During this time the cam 20 has lowered the gear 21 from a position central between the racks 25 and 2514 to a position to engage the rack 251. When the crank roller reaches its lowest point and the gear 21 meshes with the rack working in coperation with the rollers 29, 30, respectively, swing the shoe 271 out of the path -of the crank roller 22. The gear 21 then drives the rack frame and be'l through the intermediation ofthe rack 251, until said gear has made one complete revolution, at which point the crank roller 22 is in position to enter the opposite space 261. The roller 22 is then confined in the space 261 by the shoe 272, actuated by the cams 311 and 321 which cause the shoe 272 to be positioned as illustrated in Fig. 5, whereby the rack frame and press bed are caused to slow down, are stopped, and are started in a reciprocal direction. During this time the cam 20 has raised the gear 21 into position to engage the rack 25. Vhen the crank roller 22 has attained its highest point, the shoe 272 is swung out of the path of the crank roller 22 by the cams 311 and 321 working in cooperation with the rollers 31 and 32, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4 (the cams 311 and 321 have been omitted in Fig. 4 in order that the cams 291 and 301 may be seen more clearly). The gear 21 again drives the rack frame and press bed untilsaid gear has again made a complete revolution and the crank roller 22 is brought to lts highest point.

in position to engage the space 26. At this point the shoe 27 has been swung into the path of the crank roller 22 whereby the rack frame and press bed are slowed down and are stopped at the end of the stroke with the crank roller 22 and the gear 21 in the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The rack frame 23 is supported by and slides upon guide ways 3 1L located upon the sides of a lubricating oil receiving channel 341. The rack frame is provided with extensions 35 that support a shaft 3G upon which is fixed a multiplying gear 37, this gear being disposed between said extensions 35. The rolling gear 37 is in continuous engagement with the press bed rack 38 and the stationary rack 39, the rack 39 being xed upon the bottom of the aforesaid stationary oil channel 311. As the rack frame is reciprocated, the gear 37 is also bodily reciprocated and rolls upon the stationary rack 39 whereby the rack 38 and the press bed 6 to which the rack 38 is attached are caused to move at twice the speed and double the travel of the rack frame owing to the function of the multiplying gear 37. The air cushioning cylinders 40 and 401 are secured at the ends of the channel frame 341 while pistou rods 43 carrying piston heads 4-1 are provided upon each end of the rack frame 23, said cylinders receiving the pistons at the ends of the rack frame strokes whereby the speed of the retarding piston is reduced as compared with the speed of the press bed and whereby the same retarding device serves the purpose of checking the travel of the press bed and rack frame. so that the rack frame and press bed need not he indi` vidually supplied with speed retarding devices. By checking the. travel of the press hed through the intermediation of a more slowly moving part traveling in the same direction with the press bed, such as the rack frame, larger speed retarding cylinders and pistons may be employed. The size of the retarding devices should be adapted to the loads they are to overcome. The limiting size of the retarding cylinders 401 is lshown by the dotted circle L15 in Fig. 2. In some cases cylinders of this size will not be sufficiently effective where they are employed in connection with especially heavy presses, as perfecting presses and two-color presses on which two press beds are used in one machine, or lithographie presses where heavy stones are used on the press beds. I therefore, in such cases. supplement the retarding devices 40, 401 etc. that indirectly operate upon the press bed by retarding devices that are directly operated upon by the press bed, these supplemental speed retarding devices including pistons 41 carried upon the opposite portions of the press bed and working within stationary cylinders 411.

' 1 have evolved many improvements over the prior art, in addition to the rtarding mechanism above described and I will more specifically point 'out those improvements to which attention has not been particularly directed in the foregoing description.

As the invention is illustrated the rack frame has 'non-vertical movement, but 'I do not limit myself to this characteristic. This rack frame is provided with means, which have been set forth, for slidably supporting it independently of the press bed and the rollers that support the press bed whereby the construction and assembly of certain of the press parts are greatly simplified and made more compact, features of much importance in a printing press structure in which the press bed and rack frame move in similar directions at diiferential speeds.

, By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the rack frame 23 of my organization is disposed substantially between the planes of the press bed rack 38 and the stationary rack 39 whereby the height occupied by the press bed reciprocating mechanism is 'inaterially reduced as compared with the presses of the prior art. It will be seen that the rack frame is interposed between the ress bed rack 38 and the stationary 'rac whereby the width occupied by the press bed reciprocating mechanism is materially reduced as compared with the press bed mechanisms ofvthis type in the prior art. By locating the speed increasing gearing 37 upon an end of the rack frame such gearing is caused to travel in the space in which the rack frame travels, whereby the width of the press bed reciprocating mechanism is reduced irrespective of the location of the rack frame between the racks 38 and 39. The press bed reciprocating mechanism, in being made more compact, not only reduces the space occupied by such mechanism with advantages that must be readily appie' ciatcd, but the press bed is caused to reciprocate in directions similar to the rack frame by power transmitted through shorter distances so that the operation is more positive and whereby the tendency to vibration is materially reduced. Moreover, the' weight of the bed motion mechanism is materially lessened whereby the momentum which is to be overcome when the press bed is reversed is minimized. The portion of my improved printing press that includes the oil channel 341 is also of importance, since oil maybe contained within this channel to a depth that will include the teeth of the stationary rack 39 to reduce wear upon these lteeth and the teeth of the multiplyin" gear 37 meshing therewith. The teeth o the gear 37 will transfer oil lto the teeth of the traveling press bed rack 38 from which the oil will drop upon the rack frame 23, bed motion racks, bed motion gear, and the crank mechanism 22, the crank roller 22 also dipping into the oil when the `crank roller reaches its lower osition. In order to prevent 'the oil from ripping to the floor when the rack 38 is at the farther point at the end of the nonpri'nting stroke, I employ an oil conveying s: ield or channel 42 which is made suiciently long to catch the oil dripping from the rack 38 and which shield is employed asa duct or channel way to carry the oil received therein back to the main oil channel 341, the oil mainly finding its way back to this channel through the bearings of the multiplying gear 37 as illustrated most clearly in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The channel way 42 is desirably bifurcated so as to aord two branches that straddle the multiplying gear 37, while the bearings for the multiplying gear `are desirably provided with holes 46 through which the oil may readily find passage to the shaft 36. In this way all of the principal parts of the bed motion mechanism are automatically lubricated. v

Features shown and not claimed herein are claimed in co-pending application Serial No. 625,050, filed May 4, 1911.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim a's new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

1. A. printing press having a reciprocating press bed and'including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocatcd in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame, the rack frame being disposed substantially between the planes of sald racks.

2. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a rcciprocated rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and gearing operated by the rack frame and opcrating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame, said frame being interposed between said racks.

3. printing press having a reciprocat- 'ing press bed and including a reciprocated aib iet

cation of the rack frame; a rack carried rack frame; gearing for effecting recipr0 cation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel ot' the rack frame, the rack frame being disposed substantially between the planes of said racks.

4. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and rack frame; gearing for etiecting reciprocation oi the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame, said frame being interposed between said racks.

A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for eifecting recipripthe press bed; an additional rack; y operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame; the being disposed substantially between the planes of said racks; and means whereby the rack 'frame supported in its movements independently of the press bed.

6. A printing press having a recipr0cating press bed and including a reciproeated rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is i'eeiprocated in directions similar t0 the reciprocations of the rack frame, said frame being interposed between said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently of the press bed.

T. A print-ing press having a reciproeating press bed and including a reciproeated raelt frame; gearing .for effecting reci rocation ol the rack frame;l a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; speed increasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame, the rack frame being disposed substantially between the planes of said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently `of the press bed.

including a reciprocated gearing rack frame 8. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a reeiprocated rack frame; gearing for eifecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; speed in` creasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar t0 the reciprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel ot' the rack frame, said frame being interposed between said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently of the press bed.

9. A printing press having a reciprocat ing press bed and its support and ineludin a reciproeated rack frame; gearing for e ecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame, the rack frame being disposed substantially between the planes of said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently of the means by which the press bed is carried upon the press bed support.

10. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and its support and including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for effecting reeiprocation of the rack irame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; gearing opera-ted by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame, said frame being interposed between said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently of the means by which the press bed is carried upon the press bed support.

1l. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and its support and includinr a reeiprocated rack frame; gearing for e fecting reeiprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; un additional rack; speed increasing fearing operated hy the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reeiprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame, the rack frame being disposed substantially between the planes of said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently of the means by which the press bed is carried upon the press bed support.

12. A printing press having a reciprocatits support and including gearinrr for eframe; a

ing press bed and a reciprocated rack frame; fecting reciprocation of the rack rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; speed increasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to tbe speed of travel of the rack frame, said frame being interposed between said racks; and means whereby the rack frame is supported in its movements independently of the means by which the press bed is carried upon the press bed support.

13. A printing press baving a` reciprocat ing press bed and including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for e'tl'ecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame, said :trame being interposed between said racks.

14. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated at increased speed with respect to tbe speed of travel ot the rack frame, the rack frame being disposed substantially between the planes of said racks.

15. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a reciprocatcd rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing carried upon an end of and operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reeiprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack frame and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame.

16. A printing press having a reciprocating press lbed and including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack frame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing aring carried upon an end of'and ope ated )y the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated at increased speed with respect to the speed ot travel of the rack frame.

17. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a reciprocated rack traine; gearing tor eilecting reciprocation of the rack f1-aine.; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing carried upon an end of and operated by the rack frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated in directions similar to the reciprocations of the rack trarne and at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame, said speed increasing gearing being located in the space in which the rack traine travels.

18. A printing press having a reciprocating press bed and including a reciprocated rack frame; gearing for effecting reciprocation of the rack trame; a rack carried by the press bed; an additional rack; and speed increasing gearing carried upon an end of and operated by the rack `frame and operating upon said racks whereby the press bed is reciprocated at increased speed with respect to the speed of travel of the rack frame, said speed increasing gearing being located in the space in which the rack trame travels.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of December A. D.,

ROBERT MIEHLE. Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, E. L. WHITE. 

